The Illusion Of Power
What appears as power is often a trembling—fear guarding a grief too deep to speak.
There is a great deal of arrogance moving through the world right now, particularly among those in positions of leadership. It is easy to react to this with anger or judgment, but it may serve us to look more deeply.
Arrogance is not strength. It is a learned defense—formed over a lifetime to protect against fear. And beneath that fear, almost always, lies grief. In some cases, a grief so deep it cannot be named, let alone expressed. What we are witnessing, then, is not power, but protection.
We often hear that these individuals are “powerful.” But true power cannot exist without love. Any expression that excludes love—no matter how forceful or commanding it appears—is not power. It is fear, moving outward, seeking to dominate rather than to understand.
This matters, because when fear is projected in this way, it is often met with silence. And silence, in these moments, can become a form of permission. Not a harsh confrontation, not an attack—but a clear, steady willingness to say: no. To stand in truth without hatred. To see clearly without dehumanizing.
And perhaps most importantly, to remember this: beneath the arrogance we may encounter—whether in leaders or in those around us—there is a fragility, a grief, a human being who has lost their way.
We are not here to condemn.
But neither are we here to turn away.
Nigel Lott teaandzen.org
Meditation Sans Frontieres 501 (C) 3 Non Profit Registered Charity TAX EIN 81-3411835
